If you’ve been injured in East Lake, it may take months of medical care and therapy before you are able to resume a somewhat normal life. But the medical and other bills you accumulate during this time stay with you and may take a lifetime to pay.
If the negligence of another party led to your injury, you might be able to file a personal injury claim in East Lake to begin reclaiming what you’ve lost.
The personal injury attorneys at Florin|Roebig understand the challenging road that lies ahead. They can help you win damages to recover your losses, both financial and otherwise.
Car Accidents And Other Incidents That Lead To Personal Injury
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200,000 people die from injuries in the U.S. each year. But for every death, there are many more who suffer severe injuries that completely change their lives.
Many of these accidents were preventable and the result of the negligence of someone else. Car accidents are the leading cause of injury and death in the U.S.
There are many other types of personal injury for which you may need to file a personal injury claim in East Lake, such as:
- medical malpractice
- slips and falls
- wrongful death
- poorly designed products and services
- job injury
- injury on someone’s property
Listed are three types of accidents unique to the East Lake community:
- Weather-Induced Traffic Accidents: East Lake’s subtropical climate, with its occasional heavy rainfalls and sudden thunderstorms, can make roads slick and reduce visibility, leading to vehicular collisions on its highways and local roads.
- Golf Cart Incidents: Given the prominence of golf courses and the popularity of golf as a recreational activity in East Lake, accidents involving golf carts, whether on the course or while crossing roads, are notably prevalent.
- Accidents at Commercial Establishments: With a mix of local businesses, shopping centers, and eateries, slip and fall accidents or parking lot collisions in commercial areas can occur due to factors like uneven pavement, inadequate signage, or crowded conditions.
What You Need To Know About Personal Injury Claims
Before filing a personal injury claim in East Lake, you need to understand some legal concepts to file a successful claim.
Consideration Of Fault
When someone acts or fails to act in a way that harms another person, that is generally considered negligence in the eyes of the law if they had a legal responsibility to prevent the injury. In addition to filing a claim, you will need to demonstrate that the other party has committed this negligence and that their negligence resulted in your injury.
Like many states around the country, Florida recognizes comparative fault (comparative negligence). According to this concept, the injured person and the other party could both be partially at fault.
The law sees negligence as a percentage. The injured person may have a small percentage of the fault, while the other party may have a larger percent or vice versa.
Negligence In Personal Injury Claims In East Lake
To have a successful claim, you need to demonstrate that the other party’s negligence is much greater than your own. The courts will reduce any damages awarded based on the percentage of fault they determine to be yours.
If the injured person fails to show that the other party’s negligence is more than 50 percent (half), the injured person could end up paying the party against whom they filed the personal injury claim, instead of the other way around.
A lawyer can help ensure you don’t assume more responsibility for your injuries than is rightfully yours and help build a strong case to get you the compensation you deserve.
Statute Of Limitations For Personal Injury Claims In East Lake
Finally, you need to know about the statute of limitations in Florida. You have four years from the date of your injury to file a claim. However, many things can happen during the claim-filing process to cause a delay. Evidence could be accidentally or intentionally destroyed with passing time. For these reasons, it’s not advisable to wait.
You should contact personal injury attorneys first thing after getting immediately needed medical care to avoid these delays or attempts by the other party to shift blame onto you.
Types Of Damages Awarded For Personal Injury Claims In East Lake
Medical bills are often a significant reason to file a claim, but you likely have other losses. It’s essential to take these into account.
Not only is it your right to be compensated for everything you’ve lost if you can prove negligence, but you also have to consider that comparative negligence could reduce the overall payout. Documenting the full extent of your loss shows the courts that you have more than medical bills resulting from the incident.
In Florida, types of damages awarded include but are not limited to:
- loss of companionship (e.g., an adult child who both emotionally and physically cares for an aging parent passes away because of the incident)
- any related property damage
- medical bills
- therapy bills
- mental health bills
- emotional distress
- pain and suffering
- loss of career if you can no longer return to the work in which you were trained
- lost wages
- lost job
- loss of enjoyment (e.g., an amateur cellist loses most sensation in the hands)
- punitive damages (e.i., damages intended to punish for gross negligence)
- household expenses (e.i., expenses at home that did not exist before the injury, such as paying someone to clean or cook because you are bed-confined)
Knowing What Your Claim Is Worth
The worth of a personal injury claim in East Lake depends on several factors beyond the actual expenses accrued.
Juries consider many aspects of the claim to try to award an amount of damages that represents both the tangible and intangible losses, having to do with:
- types in injuries
- number of injuries
- where the injuries are (e.g., a massive facial scar may be seen differently than a leg scar)
- how many lost their lives or were injured
- how injuries impacted various aspects of finances and life
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Do I Need To Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?
If you’ve been injured and want to file a claim, you do not have to contact personal injury attorneys in order to file. However, you may want to consider if hiring personal injury lawyers in East Lake is the best option for your situation.
The benefits of hiring personal injury lawyers in East Lake include:
- no upfront costs because they get paid when you win damages
- a better outcome because they understand the law and the strategies the other party’s lawyers will use to support their own clients
- ability to stand up to insurance and other large companies who may hire high-power lawyers to discredit you
- someone else handling all the paperwork and deadlines
- a good chance to settle out of court because personal injury attorneys can build a case against the other party so robust they will not want to allow a jury to decide how much they owe
- adequate experience, expertise, and resources if the claim does go to trial
List Of Personal Injury Lawyers Serving East Lake
Hiring a lawyer when you file a personal injury claim in East Lake can be critical to the success of your claim. Just as important, however, is working with personal injury attorneys who have ample experience working in personal injury law in East Lake and around the U.S.
The personal injury attorneys at Florin|Roebig have the expertise and track record of winning substantial damages for their clients in Florida and around the country.
Our personal injury lawyers who can help you file a claim in East Lake include:
- Wil H. Florin, B.C.S.
- Tommy D. Roebig, B.C.S.
- John J. Hart
- Parker Y. Florin, LL.M.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Find Help With Your Personal Injury Claim
If you’ve been injured, a personal injury attorney can guide you through the claim-filing process. Florin|Roebig personal injury lawyers have over 30 years of experience and the resources needed to win significant damages. Please contact our office to schedule a time to discuss your claim.
